1.The competent authority or body designated by a Member State shall grant a certificate of approval for means of transport by road used for long journeys upon application, provided that the means of transport:
(a)are not the subject of an application submitted to or an approval by another competent authority in the same or another Member State;
(b)have been inspected by the competent authority or body designated by a Member State and found to comply with the requirements of Chapters II and VI of Annex I applicable to the design, the construction and the maintenance of means of transport by road used for long journeys.
2.The competent authority or body designated by a Member State shall issue each certificate with a number unique in the Member State and in accordance with the specimen set out in Chapter IV of Annex III. The certificate shall be drawn up in the official language(s) of the Member State of issue and in English. Certificates shall be valid for a period of not more than five years from the date of issue and shall become invalid as soon as the means of transport are modified or refitted in a way that affects the welfare of the animals.
3.The competent authority shall record the certifications of the approval of the means of transport by road for long journeys in an electronic database in a manner enabling them to be rapidly identified by the competent authorities in all Member States, in particular in the event of failure to comply with the requirements of this Regulation.
4.Member States may grant derogations to the provisions of this Article and to the provisions of Chapter V, paragraph 1.4, point (b) and Chapter VI of Annex I for means of transport by road in respect of journeys not exceeding 12 hours in order to reach the final place of destination.